Internet "trolls" — people who intentionally incite discord in online communities — may have a lot in common with real-life sadists, new research suggests.

In two studies conducted online, researchers examined personality traits and the online commenting styles of 1,215 people. The investigators found that Internet trolls tended to have personality traits related to sadism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism – a term used by psychologists to describe a person's tendency to deceive and manipulate others for personal gain. The link between trolling and sadism was the strongest out of all three traits, the researchers said.

i honestly believe on here and other forms that quite a few posters have psychotic disorders , myself stopped posting for years because of the trolls and basically the shit was said about others , I don’t now if posters that troll realise the harm they chould do to others . When we were all kids playing we always had a school bully , I always wonder if these trolls were bullied as a child , and secretly thinks it’s great to bully online later on life , I just can’t think what satisfaction anyone would get in trolling and belittling other posters , are these people respectable citizens in the real world , and demons as soon they get on line, I wonder if their family and friends know that their love one has split personalities , and if we didn’t have the internet would these trolls start torturing cats etc

If people have psychotic disorders it’s nothing to be ashame off , and there’s great help